Two travel insurers are offering free global SIM cards with their policies, so customers can avoid expensive international roaming rates.

Cover-More and Roaming Insurance, a distributor of QBE, say the cards let policyholders save up to 90% on global roaming.

Cover-More says it was the first travel insurer to give away global SIMs with cover.

The cards are programmed with the company’s emergency assistance numbers.

“Additionally, if our policyholder is likely to be caught in a world event, such as a volcanic ash cloud crisis, we can contact them via SMS to ensure they get the information or help they need,” Cover-More Marketing and Strategy Manager Zac Brookes said.